Pappas Delivers Remarks on Behalf of Granite Staters on Medicaid, Urges Republican Colleagues to Not Abandon Working Families

Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) delivered remarks on the House floor on behalf of his tens of thousands of constituents that rely on Medicaid which is facing major cuts under the Republican budget proposal, highlighting the importance of the program and urging his Republican colleagues to stand up against this effort to harm working families in New Hampshire and across the country. 

Last month Pappas held a roundtable with New Hampshire health care advocates and community leaders to highlight the devastating impact the Republican budget proposal would have on New Hampshire residents’ access to health care, as well as local community health centers’ ability to serve their patients. Pappas voted against the resolution when it came to the floor. 

“I rise today because health care through Medicaid - covering more than ten percent of residents and more than 30% of all kids in New Hampshire - is on the line,” said Congressman Pappas. “Their access to life-saving preventative care, long-term care, mental health, and addiction treatment will be put at risk by the cruel and fiscally reckless budget being proposed by Republicans in the House.”

The proposed Republican budget threatens Medicaid coverage, jeopardizing health care coverage for 68,008 Granite Staters living in New Hampshire’s first district, including 32,000 children and 4,463 seniors. Across the state Medicaid provides health coverage to more than 182,000 total New Hampshire residents – 13.4% of all Granite Staters, 30.1% of all New Hampshire children, and 64% of residents living in nursing homes. 

The proposed Republican budget also threatens coverage for 34,000 people in New Hampshire’s first district who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act who would see their average premium go up by $640 per year — a 26% increase. Many families would face even steeper consequences. A 60-year-old couple with a household income of $85,000 would see their health insurance costs increase by $8,788 per year — a 122% increase in premiums.

Watch Congressman Pappas’s remarks here.

Read Congressman Pappas’s full remarks here:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today because health care through Medicaid - covering more than ten percent of residents and more than 30% of all kids in New Hampshire - is on the line. 

Their access to life-saving preventative care, long-term care, mental health, and addiction treatment will be put at risk by the cruel and fiscally reckless budget being proposed by Republicans in the House. 

In addition, New Hampshire’s Medicaid Expansion, established on a bipartisan basis, would end with any decrease in federal funds, leaving 68,000 Granite Staters uninsured and devastating our hospitals and community health centers.

I have heard from literally thousands of Granite Staters on this issue.

Including a woman who contacted my office and shared her fears that cuts to Medicaid would leave her family homeless.

She is a caretaker to two family members and worries that they won’t be able to survive on one income if they lose their health coverage. 

I will continue to do everything I can to stop a budget that places the burden of cuts on New Hampshire families like hers to finance massive tax breaks to the super rich.

I urge my colleagues to stand up against this betrayal of working families and instead focus on how we can work together to make life safer, healthier, and more affordable for all Americans.

I yield back.